Refrigerator latch



June 16, 1931.

REFRIGERATQR LATCH Filed Jan. 21, 1929.

4001.24 Rug/1v 1 the common subject matter.

Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTZOFFICE I ADOLPH RUBIN, ors'r. LOUIS, ivrrssounr REFRIGERATOR LATCH Application filed January 21,1929. Serial No. 333,765.

An object therefore, of this invention is to provide a latch in whichthe bolt after the door is opened,will be held in withdrawn po sitionuntil the door is closed. 2

Another object is to provide a latch that can be opened from the insideof the door. 115 In opening .a cooler door, a person very often has hishands engaged with articleshe is removing, and it is, therefore,desirable to provide means whereby the door can be opened with the foot.Another object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a latch thatcan be opened from theinside by a foot lever attachment 1 r '1 I Anotherobject is to provide locking means for sucha latch.

7 A further object is to provide a latch which is simple ofconstruction, economical to manufacture, pos tive in operatlon, durable1n use, andeasy of repalr.

Otherobjectswill appearfrom the follow- T ing description taken-inconnection withthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a rearelevation; i I. i Fig. 2 is a sectional view-talmn on line 2-2,

ig. 3 is: a sectional view taken on line 33,Fig.2;" o.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken -on line 4.--4,Fig.1; I Fig. 5 is aview taken on line 55,' Fig. 1.

The improvements claimed in this application are modifications of theinvention illustrated and described in applicants co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 333,764, filed J anuary 21, 1929, in whichapplicationis claimed 'The base,-or casing, of the latch may be ofanypreferred form. 'As shown in the drawings, the casing 1 has theattaching flanges 2. Supported on the casing .are two ears, 3.

5 Pivotally mounted on the ears 3,by means of the pin 4: is a latchingelement. The pin 4 may besecured in place-by a screw or key inserted at5 I The latching element comprises the sleeve 6 to which is atttachedthe handle 7 an arm 8- supporting the bolt 9. This element is preferablyformed integrally and may be cast in one piece. I

j A torsion spring 10 is placed within the sleeve 6 about the pin 4,with one end in on m gagement with the sleeve at 11 and the other is endin engagement with abushing 12., The I tension of thespringmay besecured oradj Listed by means of a stud 13 passing through an ear 3 intoone of the several holes-14 in 9 the bushing. A hole 15 is provided inthe periphery of the bushing in, order to accomodate a pin so that thetension may be held while adjustment of the stud 13 is being made. a p,

A trigger 16 is pivotally mounted in the casing on the pin 17The'trigger has a projection 18 adapted to strike an abutment 19 on thekeeper (shown'in dotted line, Fig. 2) There is arecess in the triggerhavingaplane v surface20 adapted to-engage the plane surface of the lug21 on the bolt 9.

H The triggeris actuated by the spring 22 which has an arm 23 pressingagainst the top ofthe casing and bearing against a flange 241 in thecasing to prevent displacement. The

7 lever 25 of the spring engages the triggerilG and hasa projection orshoulder 26 for the -purpose gof preventing displacement. The

spring'also has a projection 27 adapted to pass between the pin 17andthe wall of the casing to prevent itslateral displacement.

' Theboltmay have a roller 28 at its end to engage the keeper. The bolthas the reduced shank 29 and the shoulder30 to form a journal for theroller. The rollerhas on its inner surfacea circular groove 31 toregister with a like groove 32 in the shank 29, the grooves 31 and 82being sopositioned as to register with each other. Aresilientarcuatemember 33 of circularcross section is provided which Willfit'within one of the grooves but which has a tendency to spring out ofthat groove and into theother groove when the roller is in position,such member being larger than the groove in which it has a tendency tobear. For instance, the groove 32 is made large enough to accommodatethe arcuate member 33, while the groove 31 is smaller; the arcuatemember 33 is compressed into the groove 32, the roller 28 is pushed ontothe shank 29, and when the groove 31 is in registry with the groove 32and the arcuate member 33, the member 33 will spring into the groove 31,but will also partially project into the groove 32 and thus secure theroller against'displacement. 7 I j p The latch may have mechanism topermit its being opened from the inside of the door. A rocker shaft 34fits in a bearing 35 in the casing, and has attached'to it the lever 36which engages the forked lever 37 integral with the sleeve 6, and,therefore, integral with the bolt. On the inside of the rocker shaft iskeyed the hand lever 38. Flanged washers 39 may be provided to furnishbearings in the door for the rocker shaft, and the bearing plate 40,with attaching flanges, may be provided to hold one of the washers 39 inposition.

The inside mechanism may also include a foot attachment to permit thelatch being opened by foot pressure. A bar 41 connects the lever 38 witha foot lever 42 having a foot pedal 43. The foot lever 42 may bepivotally mounted on a l g 44 having flanges 45 to permit its beingfastened to the door.

To provide locking means for the latch, the lug 46 depending from thelatching element, extends through a slot 47 inthe top of the casing, andhas a hole 48 to accommodate the link of a padlock, so arranged that itwill be outside of the casing when the latch is closed, and inside thecasing when the latch is open.

In operation, a movement of the handle 7 withdraws the bolt 9 from thekeeper, whereupon the lug 21 on the bolt is caught in the recess 20 ofthe trigger 16 and helduntil the trigger is released. Similarly thelatching element may be operated through its forked lever 37 cooperatingwith the lever 36 on the rocker shaft 34, by movement of the hand lever'38 or the foot pedal 43. Upon closing the door, the projection 18 Y onthe lever strikes an abutment 19, on the keeper, shown in dotted lines,Fig. 2, tripping the trigger and releasing the latching element, whichmoves the bolt into its keeper by reason of the operation of the spring10.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its purpose. Alatch is provided in which the bolt is held in withdrawn position untilthe door is closed. A latch is also provided which may be opened by thehand or by the foot fromthe inside of the door. Means are also providedfor locking. such a latch. It will be seen that an article is pro videdwhich is simple of construction, economical to manufacture, positive inoperation, durable inuse, and easy of repair.

It is to be understood that various parts of this invention are capableof independent use without the incorporation of all of the elements andimprovements described; and accordingly various changes, omissions andadditions may be made within the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

t is also to be understood that the invention is not limited to themeans specifically illustrated and described, but that changes may bemade, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spiritof this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: I

1. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing having attachedflanges, a handle and bolt pivotally mounted on said casing about thesame axis for rotationin a plane transverse of the door, a springtoactuate such latching member, a trigger adapted to engage and hold thelatching member in inopei ative position while the door is open, and aspring to actuate said trigger.

2. A refrigeratordoor latch comprising a casing having attachingflanges, a latching member including integrally a handle and boltpivotally mounted'on said casing for rotation in a plane, transverse ofthe door, a spring to actuate said latching member, a trigger adapted toengage and hold the latching member in inoperative position while thedoor is open, and a spring to actuate said trigger.

3. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing having attachingflanges, a latching member including integrally a handle and boltpivotally mounted on said casing, a spring to actuate said latchingmember, a trigger adapted to engage and hold the latching member ininoperative position while the door is open and a spring to actuate saidtrigger, said spring having an arm to engage the casing, an arm toengage the trigger and means for 're'tai'ningthe spring in positioncomprising a projection to lie between the trigger pivot pin and thecasing, a projection to engage the side of the trigger and a flange insaid casingto engage one of the arms.

4. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing having attachingflanges, a latching member including integrally a handle and boltpivotally mounted on said casing, a spring to actuate said latchingmember, a trigger adapted to engage and hold the latching member ininoperative position while the door is open, a spring to actuate saidtrigger and projections on said sprin 'to prevent displacement thereof.

5. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing for' mounting on theoutside of the door, a latching element, a lever on said latchingelement, a rocker shaft adapted to pass thru the door, a bearing in saidcasing adapted to engage the rocker shaft, a lever on said rocker armadapted to engage the lever on the latching element, flanged washers onsaid rocker shaft, a bearing plate having attaching flanges adapted tobe inserted on said shaft on the inside of the door and a handle on oneend of the rocker shaft.

6. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing for mounting on theoutside of the door, a latching element including integrally a handleandbolt pivotally mounted on said casing, a lever on said latching element,a rocker shaft adapted to pass thru the door, a lever on said rocker armadapted to engage the lever on the latching element, and ahandle on oneend of the rocker shaft.

7. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing for mounting on theoutside of the door, a latching element, a forked lever on saidlatching'element, a rocker shaft adapted to pass thru the door, a leveron said rocker shaft adapted to engage said fork, and a handle on oneend of the rocker shaft.

8. A refrigerator door latch comprising a casing having attachingflanges, a latching member pivotally mounted on said casing and a lug onsaid latching member'positioned and adapted by rotation of the latchingele-' ment to pass through a slot in the casing and so situated that ahole in the lug will lie outside the casing when the latch is closed andinside when opened, whereby a padlock inserted in said hole will preventthe operation of the latch.

In testimony whereof I afiiX this 22nd day of August 1928.

ADOLPH RUBIN.

my signature

